What is the best breed that will grow its population the quickest?

[WonkierZulu]

If you want the best dual purpose I say australorp. If you just want eggs leghorn best feed ratio to egg period.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

I would recommend Australorp or Rhode Island Reds. Australorp are a heritage breed, that is dual purpose and occasionally goes broody. My most broodiest hens that have been great mamas have been Australorps. They lay very well too.

I've never seen my leghorns care to be broody. They're fast and heavy egg producing, but I don't know if they'd be self sustaining. Also, they're not super meaty. They do have fast growth though.

RIR are also heritage, good producers, but I'm unsure of broodiness.

My RIR will be broody never! She is not motherly what so ever! But she is an exceptional layer! She lays every single morning and never has taken a break! Yes I totally recommend Australorps as well!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

That’s too small for what I’d like to achieve. How do you think a Jersey gian x Phoenix would fare?

Absolutely no clue. I don't care for JGs, so I will never have them on my property. JGs also take something like 18 months to get to size. They are not fast growers, just larger growers

 

[WonkierZulu]

Also marans are a great dual purpose bread the are just chatty sound like a goose when they talk imo

 

[SunflowerKing]

I mean that you may have too many broody hens. Its a bad thing, especially in Summer where hens can die sitting on a nest. Not sure if they are supper protective.

If there are too many broody hens and some die won’t they eventually select for flock balance?

I fully plan on some deaths in my flock with the hopes that through natural selection the flock will become hardier and therein become better survivors.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

I think I know!!! Wyandottes! They seem perfect for you! They are protective (both mine are), go broody (mine has), quite meaty (mine is, just do not tell her ), and have okay egg production.

Mine too! Her name is Fatty even!! She’s like bigger than Cornish crosses but not quite as like fatty. Just bigger! And both of mine have gone broody! One of mine is just now going broody for like the fifth time this summer!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Basically if you want eggs, you'll have a small chicken. If you want meat, you'll have a large chicken with lower laying. If you want both, you'll have a medium/slightly larger than egg only chicken. Protective males are a bit or miss, I've seen the same breed never lose a bird and lose birds at least once a week.

The more they lay, the less likely they go broody (remember, at least 21 days for incubating, and they will not lay until their chicks are weabed, which could be from 3 weeks to 4 months)

 

[cherrynberry]

If there are too many broody hens and some die won’t they eventually select for flock balance?

I fully plan on some deaths in my flock with the hopes that through natural selection the flock will become hardier and therein become better survivors.

No, because broodiness is caused by hormones. The broodiest hens you have will want to sit during the summer time and may die from heat if they do not hatch something out in time. So you will basically be killing broody hens.

 

[SunflowerKing]

Absolutely no clue. I don't care for JGs, so I will never have them on my property. JGs also take something like 18 months to get to size. They are not fast growers, just larger growers

I don’t mind the slow growth so much so long as they can reproduce themselves quickly enough to make it inconsequential.

What about australorp x Jersey giant x Florida bullfrogs liege x aseel.

Too much interbreeding? Or could I achieve my goals with something like this?

 

[JustBabyMargo]

My RIR lays every day and would be okay for meat (I think? I’ve never done meat birds of any kind). She is just not broody whatsoever so never mind!